Management Directive-715 (MD-715)

The MD-715 is the policy guidance which the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) provides to Federal agencies (i.e., Department of Transportation) for their use in establishing and maintaining effective programs of equal employment opportunity (EEO) under Section 717 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The MD-715 establishes standards for ensuring that Federal agencies develop and maintain model EEO programs. These standards are used to measure and report on the status of the Federal Government's efforts to become a 'model employer.' As detailed in MD-715, the six elements of a model EEO program are:

• Demonstrated commitment from agency leadership;
• Integration of EEO into the agency's strategic mission;
• Management and program accountability;
• Proactive prevention of unlawful discrimination;
• Efficiency; and
• Responsiveness and legal compliance.

The EEOC requires each Federal agency to report annually on the status of activities undertaken pursuant to its EEO program under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and activities undertaken pursuant to its affirmative action obligations under the Rehabilitation Act. Federal agency reports must also include a plan that sets forth steps it will take in the future to correct deficiencies or further improve efforts undertaken pursuant to MD-715.

The Headquarters Office of Civil Rights is responsible for submitting FHWA's MD-715 Report to the Department and the EEOC.

Each FHWA official, manager, and supervisor is responsible for implementing the action items outlined in the FHWA's MD-715 Report to make sure that the FHWA meets the MD-715 requirements.

Contacts/phone numbers/email addresses

Nikisha Pickett
Administrative and Special Emphasis
Program Manager
(202) 366-3894
Nikisha.Pickett@dot.gov

Authorities

Section 717 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm)

Section 501of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/rehab.cfm)

Guidance

DOT Policy Statement on Employment and Advancement of Persons with Disabilities
(https://www.civilrights.dot.gov/policy-statement-employment-and-advancement-people-disabilities)

Useful Links

EEOC's MD-715 (http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/directives/md715instruct.cfm)